TOTAL EQUITY NOW DECLARES FIRST DAY OF EACH MONTH
"LITERACY ACROSS HARLEM DAY”

Harlemites Encouraged to Proudly, Publicly Carry
Reading Materials All Day

August 27, 2012 -- Harlem, NY – Building on the
success of the inaugural "Literacy Across Harlem March, Book Donation &
Community Celebration” on July 21st, which placed over 1,000 donated
books into the hands and home libraries of Harlem families, Total Equity
Now (TEN) is declaringSeptember 1st,
and the first of every month thereafter, "Literacy Across Harlem Day."TEN
asks all Harlemites, east to west, to carry reading materials outside of their
bags the first day of each month as a simple yet powerful expression of their
individual and collective identities as readers, writers, thinkers, and
community members.

Harlemites are heirs to a rich literary legacy anchored by a
long line of ingenious writers and voracious readers. However, glance at the
hands of Harlem passers by on the average street and you will see mostly smart
phones, designer bags and school bags, beverages, small children, and
occasionally a combination of those items and more. Even avid readers’ books,
magazines, newspapers, and e-readers are usually tucked away at the bottom of a
bag or left at home. TEN envisions a day when all community
members—children, senior citizens, and everyone in between—live literacy
as an integral aspect of Harlem public life, as "Harlem” as great food and
world-class entertainment.

Hand in hand with community members, TEN is working to build
a critical mass of Harlem Literacy Ambassadors, organizations and
individuals who sign on to participate in Literacy Across Harlem Daysand
strengthen the village's culture of literacy. Literacy Across Harlem Days
will also serve as vehicles to raise awareness about and connect some of the
important literacy-related efforts and opportunities across the community.